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Atlas II launch vehicle family

Atlas II was the improved commercial and U.S. government Atlas-Centaur generation developed after the Challenger accident. Its baseline, IIA, and solid-augmented IIAS configurations completed 63 successful flights from 1991 through 2004: ten Atlas II, 23 Atlas IIA, and 30 Atlas IIAS missions for communications, weather, science, and national-security customers.

Atlas II launch vehicle family
NASA/Bill Ingalls · Stored/public JPEG is byte-identical to the NASA canonical 201108050008HQ large asset (1279x1920, SHA-256 54592683e90ae091eefed5173f1276a07ae2326599475516c32c208dbfd60e1c). NASA Images API metadata identifies the exact image as Atlas V Rocket Launches with Juno Spacecraft, photographed by NASA/Bill Ingalls, and describes the Atlas V/Juno launch from Space Launch Complex 41 on August 5, 2011. NASA current Images and Media Usage Guidelines state that NASA content may be used factually or informationally with NASA acknowledged, while NASA-hosted third-party content is marked and NASA use does not convey rights; commercial use must not imply endorsement and NASA logos and identifiers remain protected: https://www.nasa.gov/nasa-brand-center/images-and-media/. This is an asset-level, conservative factual/editorial reuse basis with NASA/Bill Ingalls attribution, not a blanket license for promotional content, merchandise, NASA branding, or endorsement. · Source
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Identity

Aliases
Atlas II seriesAtlas II-Centaur family
Family Name
Atlas II
Full Name
Atlas II launch vehicle family
Status
retired
Type
rocket

Details

Description
Atlas II was the improved commercial and U.S. government Atlas-Centaur generation developed after the Challenger accident. Its baseline, IIA, and solid-augmented IIAS configurations completed 63 successful flights from 1991 through 2004: ten Atlas II, 23 Atlas IIA, and 30 Atlas IIAS missions for communications, weather, science, and national-security customers.
First Flight Year
1,991
Last Flight Year
2,004
Manufacturer
Parent Vehicle Family
Propulsion Configurations
  • Entries
    • Nested value
    • Nested value
    • Nested value
    Name
    Atlas II
    Notes
    Baseline Atlas II configuration: MA-5A first-stage propulsion with two LR-89-NA-7 booster engines and one LR-105-NA-7 sustainer, plus two RL10A-3-3A engines on the Centaur upper stage.
  • Entries
    • Nested value
    • Nested value
    • Nested value
    Name
    Atlas IIA
    Notes
    Atlas IIA configuration: the same MA-5A first-stage propulsion package with two LR-89-NA-7 booster engines and one LR-105-NA-7 sustainer, plus two RL10A-4 engines on the Centaur upper stage.
  • Entries
    • Nested value
    • Nested value
    • Nested value
    • Nested value
    Name
    Atlas IIAS
    Notes
    Solid-augmented Atlas IIAS configuration: the MA-5A first-stage package, four CASTOR IVA strap-on motors, and two RL10A-4 engines on the Centaur upper stage.
Rocket Specs
Reusability
expendable
Stages Count
2

Links

Official Url
https://www.losangeles.spaceforce.mil/Portals/16/documents/AFD-130426-024.pdf

Assets & Meta

Creation Time
July 14, 2026 at 06:51:33 UTC
Updated Time
August 1, 2026 at 13:39:35 UTC
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Search Name
Atlas II launch vehicle family Atlas II series Atlas II-Centaur family